Method and apparatus for limiting standby subnet managers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selecting a limited number of standby subnet managers includes providing an InfiniBand architecture subnet ( 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 ) having a plurality of nodes ( 102 ), where each of the plurality of nodes has a priority value ( 307, 308 ) and a globally unique identifier ( 309, 310 ). Each of the plurality of nodes includes a subnet manager ( 305, 306 ). Each of the plurality of nodes is ranked according to the priority value and the globally unique identifier. The subnet manager is selected to be one of a set of standby subnet managers ( 328 ) based on the priority value and the globally unique identifier of each of the plurality of nodes.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 providing an InfiniBand architecture subnet having a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes has a priority value and a globally unique identifier;    providing each of the plurality of nodes with a subnet manager;    ranking each of the plurality of nodes according to the priority value and the globally unique identifier; and    selecting if the subnet manager is included in a set of standby subnet managers based on the priority value and the globally unique identifier of each of the plurality of nodes.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting comprises selecting if the subnet manager is included in the set of standby subnet managers up to a limit value.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a highest priority value to a lowest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a lowest globally unique identifier to a highest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of priority values.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a lowest priority value to a highest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a highest globally unique identifier to a lowest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of priority values.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a highest priority value to a lowest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a highest globally unique identifier to a lowest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of priority values.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a lowest priority value to a highest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a lowest globally unique identifier to a highest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of priority values.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         15 . An InfiniBand architecture subnet, comprising: 
 a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes has a priority value and a globally unique identifier;    a set of standby subnet managers; and    a subnet manager for each of the plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes, are ranked according to -the priority value and the globally unique identifier, and wherein the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes is selected to be included in the set of standby subnet managers based on the priority value and the globally unique identifier of each of the plurality of nodes.    
     
     
         16 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 15 , wherein the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes is selected to be included in the set of standby subnet managers up to a limit value.  
     
     
         17 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprise a first node and a second node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is ranked from a highest priority value to a lowest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for the first node is identical to the priority value of the second node, the first node and the second node are further ranked from a lowest globally unique identifier to a highest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         18 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 17 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of priority values.  
     
     
         19 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 17 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         20 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprise a first node and a second node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is ranked from a lowest priority value to a highest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for the first node is identical to the priority value of the second node, the first node and the second node are further ranked from a highest globally unique identifier to a lowest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         21 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 20 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of priority values.  
     
     
         22 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 20 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         23 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprise a first node and a second node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is ranked from a highest priority value to a lowest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for the first node is identical to the priority value of the second node, the first node and the second node are further ranked from a highest globally unique identifier to a lowest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         24 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 23 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of priority values.  
     
     
         25 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 23 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         26 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprise a first node and a second node, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is ranked from a lowest priority value to a highest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for the first node is identical to the priority value of the second node, the first node and the second node are further ranked from a lowest globally unique identifier to a highest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         27 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 26 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of priority values.  
     
     
         28 . The InfiniBand architecture subnet of  claim 26 , wherein the subnet manager is selected from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         29 . An InfiniBand-architecture node comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer instructions for instructing a processor to perform a method of limiting a set of standby subnet managers, the instructions comprising: 
 providing an InfiniBand architecture subnet having a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes has a priority value and a globally unique identifier;    providing each of the plurality of nodes with a subnet manager;    ranking each of the plurality of nodes according to the priority value and the globally unique identifier; and    selecting if the subnet manager is included in the set of standby subnet managers based on the priority value and the globally unique identifier of each of the plurality of nodes.    
     
     
         30 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 29 , wherein selecting comprises selecting if the subnet manager is included in the set of standby subnet managers up to a limit value.  
     
     
         31 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 29 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a highest priority value to a lowest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a lowest globally unique identifier to a highest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         32 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 31 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of priority values.  
     
     
         33 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 31 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         34 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 29 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a lowest priority value to a highest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a highest globally unique identifier to a lowest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         35 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 34 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of priority values.  
     
     
         36 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 34 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         37 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 29 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a highest priority value to a lowest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a highest globally unique identifier to a lowest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         38 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 37 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of priority values.  
     
     
         39 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 37 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a highest set of globally unique identifiers.  
     
     
         40 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 29 , wherein ranking each of the plurality of nodes comprises ranking each of the plurality of nodes from a lowest priority value to a highest priority value, and wherein if the priority value for a first node is identical to the priority value of a second node, further ranking the first node and the second node from a lowest globally unique identifier to a highest globally unique identifier.  
     
     
         41 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 40 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of priority values.  
     
     
         42 . The InfiniBand architecture node of  claim 40 , wherein selecting comprises selecting the subnet manager to be included in the set of standby subnet managers by selecting the subnet manager from each of the plurality of nodes with a lowest set of globally unique identifiers.